Kate joined Shoosmiths in March 2025 as a Partner in the National Employment Team (NET) after almost two decades at Pinsent Masons. As a highly experienced employment lawyer with a track record of excellent client service.
Advises on:
Kate advises on a full range of employment law issues, both contentious and non-contentious. Kate’s work in employment law in the last 12 months includes strategic D&I matters, such as advice and guidance in respect of implementing lawful positive action into recruitment practices to seek to increase representation and remove disadvantage for under-represented groups, and projects dealing with several cases of a sensitive and reputationally significant nature. Kate is experienced in managing and successfully defending a number of wide-ranging complex Tribunal claims.
Kate also advises clients through senior terminations/complex exits and investigating sexual harassment allegations. Kate has a deep understanding of the sensitivities around these issues and is able to guide clients through them. Kate advises clients on complex disciplinary and grievance cases assisting caseworkers to progress matters in a timely and proportionate manner, delivers training to clients on various topics and acts as a sounding board to HR teams on day-to-day HR operational matters; thus acting as an extension to their team and becoming familiar with their vision, strategic approach and attitude towards risk.
Experience examples:
- Successfully defending a multifaceted discrimination claim totalling 134 allegations over a 3 week hearing for a leading University;
- Leading the employment aspects of a large M&A transaction for a well known housebuilder following their recent acquisition of another house builder. This involved advising on complex TUPE issues, reorganisation and integration matters, advice in respect of the collective consultation/redundancy process required with the closure of a number of divisions and advising on the harmonisation of terms and conditions following integration;
- Conducting a judicial mediation of a high value discrimination claim leading to a successful and satisfactory outcome for the client; and
- Counselling clients on the requirements of the new Worker Protection Act and Employment Rights Bill.
Kate is recognised by clients as providing excellent client service, mixing technical excellence with strategic and pragmatic advice. She is recognised for her versatility, her commercial and robust advice and keeping abreast of topical issues.